Curtain-fixture



P OSGOOD Curtain Fixture.

PatentedOct. 5, 1880.

Fl'y. '6. I are nior,

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

PELATIAH OSGOOD, OF WATERVILLE, MAINE, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS OF HIS RIGHT TO HERMAN D. OSGOOD AND JAMES M. OSGOOD, OF SOMER- VILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

CU RTAIN-FIXTU RE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 232,898, dated October 5, 1880. Application filed January 21, 1880 To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, PELATIAH OscooD, of Watervillc, in the county of Kennebec and State of Maine, have invented new and useful Improvements in Curtain-Fixtures; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specifica tion.

My invention relates to that class of ourtain-fixtures known as spring-balance tixtures, and the object of my invention is to provide a s n'ing-balance fixture which may be used without attaching a weight to the curtain, which shall be cheap and durable, which shall be easily adjustable as to the tension of the spring, which shall stay in any position and be easily and smoothly raised, and, finally, which shall make use of friction to hold the curtain from rolling up by the action of the spring. I attain these objects by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows sectional view of roller and attachments. Fig. 2 is an end view, showing the end of spindle with hook and shoulder in dotted lines. Fig. 3 shows the bail catch or dog. Figs. 4, 5, 6 show sectional, side, end, and top views of the bail catch or dog.

A is a spindle, attached to which, and to the roll B, is a spring, as in the ordinary springfixture. O is a bracket which supports the roll B. A short distance into the head of the roll B is bored a hole or opening of nearly the diameter of the roll itself. Fitting rigidly into this opening is the irictionring H, which receives loosely within its open end the frictionflange F, which is rigidly connected with the bracket 0. This ring H forms a bearing, by which the roll rests and turns upon the said flange F. The spindle A extends through the ring H and through a corresponding opening in the bracket 0. Hung to the spindle A, by means of trunnions at a point near the head of the roll, is the catch or dog G. This catch or dog is baihshaped, and at its edge which comes against the head of the roll is a projection in such a position as to engage the pins or cogs, of which pins there are several projecting from the interior of the ring H. The dog Gr, however, is of such shape and balanced in such a manner that when it is above the spindle A it falls hack free from the pins; but when the spindle A turns so that the dog G comes underneath it swings in by its own weight, and the projection on its inner 6o edge engages one of the pins. This result is also assisted by centrifugal force, which, in case the spindle starts to rotate when removed from the bracket by the action of the spring, causes the heavy swinging part to fly out radially from the pivot. Projecting laterally from the end of the spindle A is the hook I, and pivoted to the bracket 0 is the swinging bar or lever D, containing a notch into which the hook is made to fitg w, When the hook engages the notch in the lever D a shoulder or lip, F, attached to the hook, lies over the lever D in such a manner as to prevent the spindle A, and with it the roll, from being withdrawn from the bracket 0. The lower end of the lever D is free, and by pressing it back it is disengaged from the hook and the spindle A. The relative positions of the dog G and hook are such that when the hook engages 1e ver D the dog G is above the spindle, and hence free from the pins, as above described.

Having thus described the manner of eonstructin g my invention, I now proceed to set forth the mode of operating the same.

The lever D being free from the hook, the curtain is wound about the roll as much as is necessary, and the lever D is then brought down and catches in the hook. Now when the curtain is pulled down the spindle A is pre vented from turning by the hook engaging the 0 lever D, and the spring is wound up. When the hand releases the curtain the spring has a tendency to turn the roll and wind up the curtain, but is prevented from so doing by the operation of two forces, as follows, viz: The 5 spring, acting in conjunction with the hook, lifts the roll upward against the under side of the friction-flange F, causing friction between the roll and the flange, and tending to stop the roll against the action of the spring Add ed to this is the weight of the curtain with its stick, which also tends to oppose the action of the spring. These two forces beingjust sufficient to balance the action of the spring, when the curtain is raised by the hand the force of friction alone-remains, and the spring overcoming this rolls up the curtain. The spring must not be wound too tight nor too loose, and a few trials will discover the proper tension. If the spring is seen to be too tight the free end of the lever D is pressed down, which lets go the hook and allows the spindle to turn half around, when it is stopped in that position by the dog G falling in and engaging one oft-he pins. The curtain is then unrolled as much as is necessary without removing it from the brackets, the hook is again caught in lever D, and the curtain operated as before. If the spring is found to be too loose, the curtain is first drawn out, the spindle freed from lever D as before, the curtain rolled up by hand, and the hook caught in lever I), the same as before shown. The office of the dog G as here used is that of a lock to prevent the spring from running out when the curtain is out of the bracket.

I am aware that hitherto friction has been. employed in spring fixtures on a principle somewhat similar to mine; but, so far as Iknow, the friction has never been produced within the body of the roll, as in my invention, but has been produced in such a way that the mechanism interfered with the rolling of the curtain.

As a substitute for the pins a plate bearing projections or cogs and attached to the head of the roll may be used.

If desired, the friction-rim g H may be made in one piece with the rod B.

What I claim as my invention, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-'- 1. In a spring or balance curtain-fixture, the combination of the dog or catch G and the pins or cogs with the spindle A, hook I, with its flange or projection E,and lever D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a spring or balance curtain-fixture, the combination of the spindle A, book I, leverD, and friction-flange F and ring H, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3 In a balance curtain-fixture, the combination of the spindle A, hook I, with its overlapping portion E, and the lever D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. In a spring-balance curtain-fixture, the combination, with the roller and its spindle,of the dog G, its edge containinga projection, and the pins or cogs, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

PELATIAH OSGOOD. Witnesses H. D. BATES, S. W. BATES. 

